To ruin an Omega

Chapter 92: Pearls are forever

HAZEL

It was the pearls.

Those pearls around Fia’s neck. I knew those pearls. I had looked at them myself weeks ago. Genuine South Sea pearls with the kind of luster that made your breath catch. Each one perfectly matched. The price tag had been obscene. Even I had hesitated.

My mind raced. Alpha Cian was going to let her get those? It made no sense. But He had to be the one. Who else would spend that kind of money on Fia? On my sister who was supposed to be nothing more than a political prisoner. A warm body to seal an alliance.

The dress she wore made it worse. That pink fabric moved like water. Simple but devastatingly elegant. If she wore that to Alpha Julius Knight’s wedding everyone would look at her. Everyone would remember her. She would steal attention that should have been mine.

Fia swallowed. She looked at the woman beside her. “We should leave.”

Oh no. Not yet. I shifted and blocked her path. My smile stayed fixed. I had practiced this smile until it was perfect. Until it could cut without anyone seeing the blade.

“Rude,” I said. “I’m sure the guilt of what you did is still eating you up but it’s all good.” I tilted my head. Studied her like she was something interesting under glass. “Now that you’re here, sister, we should catch up. Talk about your life at Skollrend. Shop together.”

“I’m good.”

She tried to move around me. I caught her wrist. Gentle pressure. Just enough to keep her in place. But Goddess did I want to make her bleed.

“Don’t tell me you’re being treated like a prisoner.”

“She’s not,” the woman with Fia said. Her voice had an edge.

I looked her over. She dressed well but there was something about her. Something that didn’t quite fit. She wasn’t Luna material. Not really. So she had to be an Omega. We’re there classes of Omegas that attended to the beck and call of the Skollrend Luna?

“I know most Lunas,” I said. “You don’t remind me of one.” I paused for effect. “You sure know how to dress like one though. But don’t let a good fashion sense let you forget your place, Omega.”

“I’m no Omega.” Her jaw tightened. “You’re different from the stories people tell about you.”

Oh. So she has heard stales about me. People always had stories. Most of them were jealous lies told by bitter women who couldn’t compete. Though, the stories about me were nothing but odes to the angel that I was.

“Forgive me for being a little bitter that my sister over here stole what should have been my life.”

Fia stepped between us. “That’s enough. Maren, we should go.”

“You’re right, Luna Fia.” The woman turned. “We should leave before I lose my temper. Some tramps aren’t worth fighting against.”

The word hit me like ice water. Tramp. She had called me a tramp. Me. In public. In this boutique.

My hand moved before I could think. The slap cracked through the air. Her head snapped to the side. Satisfaction rushed through me hot and sharp.

“How dare you?”

The woman touched her cheek. Then she laughed. The sound was low and dangerous.

“It must be the truth,” she said. “Given how hard you whacked me.”

I turned to Fia. My voice shook with rage. “Is this how the lowborns of Skollrend speak to people above their class?”

“Oh, I respect Fia.” The woman’s voice turned to ice. “I wouldn’t respect you even if you were a fucking Alpha though.”

I raised my hand again. This time I would teach her a real lesson.

Click.

The sound of a gun cocking stopped me cold. I turned my head slowly. A sentinel stood behind me. His weapon was raised. Pointed at me.

“I suggest you drop your hands before a nice bullet helps you out,” he said.

Fear spiked through my chest. Then came another click. Relief flooded me. Baruch stepped from the changing booth behind the Skollrend sentinel. His weapon was trained on the man. My sentinel. My protection.

Pride swelled in my chest. He was defending me. Showing these Skollrend dogs that I was not someone to be threatened.

“Watch your tongue when you speak with my mistress,” Baruch said.

Perfect. I wanted to laugh. Wanted to see the fear on their faces now.

“Drop it,” Fia said to her sentinel. Her voice carried weight I had never heard before. “Normies could walk in and see this.”

No. She couldn’t be using that voice. That wasn’t her voice to carry. Who did she think she was? Someone of valor?

“Now.”

The Skollrend sentinel lowered his gun. I waited for Baruch to press his advantage. To show them who had the power here.

Fia turned to Baruch. My Sentinel. “Drop yours too.”

He didn’t move. Good. He knew who he answered to.

“I am a daughter of Joseph Hughes, your Alpha. Would you defy me?”

I turned to see something flickered in Baruch’s eyes. Then he lowered his gun.

No.

Disappointment crashed through me. I stared at him. He had backed down. He had let Fia command him. Like he belonged to her.

I turned to Fia. I wouldn’t let her see how that had rattled me. I closed the distance between us. Leaned in close enough to smell whatever cheap perfume she wore and overwhelm her with mine. Remind her of her place in life. A bottom feeder in the food chain.

“Power does look good on you.”

She met my eyes and even dated to hold my gaze. When had she learned to do that? When had she learned not to look away?

“Ooh, are you going to kill me with your eyes, little sister?”

“You should watch your tongue when you speak to the Luna of Skollrend.” Her voice was steady. Strong. “I can tolerate disrespect. My mate however will not.” She took a breath. “Put your sentinel in check because in another situation, family will not be there to ease the tension you started. You of all people should know that sometimes the fire you start, don’t burn the way you expect.”

Her mate??? The words echoed in my head. She was claiming Cian. Claiming him as hers when she was supposed to resent the idea and be begging for freedom. Cian Donlon has promised to torture her till the end of time. What the hell was going on?

While I was deep in my feelings, Fia had the audacity to turn to the woman and say; “We should go. We still have a lot to shop for after all.”

They started to walk away. Something twisted in my chest. Hot and violent. Those pearls caught the light as she moved. Those expensive, beautiful pearls that she did not deserve to wear.

I reached out, grabbed them and pulled hard. The strand broke. Pearls scattered across the marble floor. The sound was satisfying. Breaking something precious.

I raised my hand. I was going to slap that smug look off her face.

She caught my wrist. Her fingers closed tight around it. I felt surprise flash through me. She wasn’t supposed to fight back. She never fought back.

Then she slapped me.

The sound cracked through the boutique. Louder than when I had hit the other woman. My head turned with the force. My cheek exploded in pain. Heat flooded the spot where her palm connected.

I held my cheek and stared at her. Who was this person? This wasn’t Fia. This wasn’t my weak little half sister who had always bent and broken under pressure.

“How dare you, Hazel.”

“You slapped me?”

The words came out before I could stop them. Shock made my voice small.

“You deserved it.”

She then turned and walked away. Just walked away like I was nothing. Like I wasn’t worth her time anymore.

I stood there. The sting in my cheek spread through my whole face. My whole body. Something had shifted. Something fundamental had changed and I had missed it.

Mother’s words echoed in my head. This is not an Alpha speaks of someone he despises… An Omega he despises… Be careful. Don’t underestimate her.

Had I been a fool? Had I let Fia get too comfortable? Had I handed her Cian without thinking about what that would mean?

Baruch appeared at my side. “Mistress, are you alright?”

I pushed him aside. “You were useless there.”

I walked to the racks. Found the pink dress Fia had been wearing. The one that would make everyone look at her. I pulled it from the hanger and added it to my pile.

“Mistress?”

“I’m getting this,” I said.

It wasn’t just about standing out at the wedding anymore. This was bigger. Everyone needed to remember that Fia had stolen Cian from me. That she was still stealing what should have been mine.

I looked at the pearls scattered on the floor. Should I get them too? I walked to the counter where an intact strand sat in a display case. The price tag made me pause. That would blow through most of what Father had set aside for my shopping.

A woman from the store approached me. Her smile was professional but cold.

“The necklace you ruined will be added to your bill.”

“What?” The word came out too sharp. “What are you talking about?”

“Mrs. Donlon explained what happened in the dressing rooms and the cameras outside the changing room showed that it was true.”

My throat went tight. I swallowed. Forced a smile.

“No problem then.”

Baruch must have noticed my discomfort because he leaned close. “Will that be an issue with Alpha Joseph? I can help talk to your father. Swear that it was Luna Fia who egged you on.”

The offer was sweet. Almost touching. I smiled at him.

“That is pretty nice.” I patted his arm. “But it’s no problem.” I met his eyes. “And don’t call her that. She’s no Luna. She’s just an Omega who stole what never belonged to her.”

We went to the counter. I piled everything up. The dress. The shoes. The jewelry. The ruined pearls.

The woman rang it up. Scanned my card. Her expression flickered. She scanned it again.

“I’m sorry, this card is declining.”

Heat flooded my face. People were starting to look. Starting to stare.

I grabbed a few dresses. Removed them from the pile. “Try again.”

She scanned the card. It declined again.

I removed a pair of designer shoes. Took back one of the dresses. My hands shook.

The card went through.

The woman bagged everything. Baruch took the bags. We walked toward the exit. At the corner of my eye I saw Fia in another section. Trying on shoes. Laughing at something the woman with her said.

My body started to shake. Rage built in my chest like pressure. I held it. Kept walking. Kept my face neutral until we reached the car.

Then I kicked the tire. Hard. My breath came in shaky gasps.

“Does she think she’s won?” The words came out barely louder than a whisper. “Oh, Fia. I am going to relish this.”

“Are you okay?” The sentinel asked.

I fixed my hair. Smoothed down my dress. “To be honest? No.” I looked at Baruch. “I was humiliated in there.” My voice cracked. “You must know my sister. Heard what she did.”

He nodded. “I heard a lot. I’m sorry for what she did.”

I sighed. The sound came from somewhere deep. “I hate that she gets under my skin.” The admission although plastic still felt like weakness. “It makes me feel weak.” I turned to him. “Do you ever feel weak?”

“Don’t we all?”

I gave him the look. The one I knew would work. The one that always worked on men. “I don’t think you do.”

I reached for his hand. Let my fingers trail across his palm. “You were very good out there. Even if I was mad.” I stepped closer. “Thank you for protecting me.”

His body went taut. I could see him fighting it. Fighting the pull.

I moved even closer. “We should go home. I’m craving some ice tea right now.”

He seemed to break from whatever spell I had woven. “Of course.”

We got in the car. I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes. Fia’s face floated behind my eyelids. That confident expression. Those pearls. That dress.

I had underestimated her. Mother had been right. But it wasn’t too late. It couldn’t be too late.

I would fix this. I would remind everyone that Cian was mine first. That Fia was nothing more than a thief who had taken what didn’t belong to her.

And I would make her pay for that slap.

In fact, I think I wanted that Skollrend Alpha now. I was going to make him mine.